Can anyone tell me what the deal is with the rubber ducks with phone numbers on them at MGC? I own a game store down in Racine and apparently our store phone number written on a duck prompting several confusing calls.
Never mind, I just found out it was a April Fools prank by an overzealous customer. Ugh.
My takeaway from MGC this year: the new pins stole the show.
Also, there weren't nearly enough older pins to satisfy me.
I've been advised to go to the Ann Arbor VFW Pinball Show in May to take a deep dive in pin history.
Ok so the line moved fast and was fine. All my worries went away as soon as i got in. Great lineup of games and so much cool stuff going on everywhere! Had a blast all day. Everyone i met was cool and most people were being respectful to the games. Loved seeing that. Thank you everyone who put in effort to make the show great, you all succeeded!
Quoted from Haymaker:Ok so the line moved fast and was fine. All my worries went away as soon as i got in. Great lineup of games and so much cool stuff going on everywhere! Had a blast all day. Everyone i met was cool and most people were being respectful to the games. Loved seeing that. Thank you everyone who put in effort to make the show great, you all succeeded!
Bring a game next year and hangout at the After Party.
My son and I make a weekend out of it every year. Do things always go smoothly, no. Have I often questioned coming back with games next year, only when waiting in line to pick up or drop off my machine. I waited in line over an hour Friday to drop off, been in the snowstorm mess during pick-up in year's past but there have been years where it was super smooth.
Quoted from balt:My takeaway from MGC this year: the new pins stole the show.
Also, there weren't nearly enough older pins to satisfy me.
I've been advised to go to the Ann Arbor VFW Pinball Show in May to take a deep dive in pin history.
100%. You won’t have enough time to play everything they have.
Quoted from balt:My takeaway from MGC this year: the new pins stole the show.
Also, there weren't nearly enough older pins to satisfy me.
I've been advised to go to the Ann Arbor VFW Pinball Show in May to take a deep dive in pin history.
Do it, wife and I went last year and are doing it again this year. The older games are incredible and working 100%! We are from Crystal Lake too! I own JAX Auto & Tire and always have pins on for FREE Play in the lobby for my customers.
Was there a time designated for when we can start doing teardown on the games? I know the dock time is about 5, but I can't remember how long everything needs to stay up.
I had a lovely time at the party last night, seeing many old friends and feeling the warm embrace of their hugs.
Congrats to the staff for putting on a great show!
Quoted from centerflank:I had a lovely time at the party last night, seeing many old friends and feeling the warm embrace of their hugs.
Congrats to the staff for putting on a great show!
Ahh... I gave you a hug
Quoted from Haymaker:Ok so the line moved fast and was fine. All my worries went away as soon as i got in. Great lineup of games and so much cool stuff going on everywhere! Had a blast all day. Everyone i met was cool and most people were being respectful to the games. Loved seeing that. Thank you everyone who put in effort to make the show great, you all succeeded!
And you hung out with good people.
Quoted from centerflank:and a little handsy lol
Well, I didn't need to use two hands 
Idea for the vendor hall (since everything has gotten so huge)
I assume there is a vendor hall map (though couldn't find one online) How about some tall signs (like airport parking lots) to label rows/columns like ABCD 1234?
This would give a visual IRL signpost as to where you are in the hall and help you keep track of where you've been. Also a vendor could say "find us at 2C!" or something to that effect. Better than the vendors I spoke to saying "oh we're at such and such, near a wall, by the door"
Rest of the show relies heavily on signage but yeah, vendor area feels like a giant miasma of tables.
Had a lot of fun at the show. Great game line up!!
The load in / out - by far the best and quickest ever.
Does anyone know if the guy who goes by PhelpsGG on insider posts here? I went after him on Foo Fighters, and we both had good games. I went to the leaderboards and saw he was in first overall on Foo. I was first place on Elvira like all day but last I saw he had passed me and knocked me down to second. I just wanna give him a middle finger for snagging that elvira banner from me and a fist bump for a job well done! 
Seemed like a cool dude, would not mind going to battle with him again!
At least my high score on Rush stood all weekend and I ended up with a Godzilla banner (they were out of rush banners apparently, but no complaints from me)! Thanks Stern! It was really fun to compete on the leaderboards at the show!
MGC continues to be the most fun show I go to..with the flood of new games recently released, I focused mainly on those the 2 days I was there and thankfully the lines to play were never too bad. The longest I've had to wait was for Bond 60th (because there was only one there) and the line was like 10 people long. The rest were 4-5 people max.
Only minor annoyance was the area Spooky setup Scooby was cramped and not really conducive to lining up, but wasn't a huge deal.
Pulp Fiction was the highlight for me and my partner. We went back and played that the most. Loved everything about that game.
Galactic Tank Force.. was hoping something would click with me after a few games, but it really didn't. Looks great though; by far the best looking American Pinball game.
Played a lot of Foo Premium since that's not out yet. Enjoyed that more than I thought I would as I normally not a big fan of modern upper playfields. Game is definitely a hit.
Had fun with Godfather as well.. overall lots of great new stuff to play. Great people to meet up with and lots of space to do other stuff. Spent time in the vendor hall and was surprised at how much that has grown (agree with Ben that it could be maybe organized a little better there..)
Love exploring all the auxiliary rooms of random stuff. Only wished Saturday was open later. They have a hard cutoff. Next year, i'll try and get into the after party 
I couldn't make the show, as I was in a pretty bad car accident the Tuesday before. I am ok, but was badly bruised up from the seatbelt, and my right hand was pretty badly bruised, but nothing broken. Just thankful I was not injured seriously! But the expense of having to possibly buy a new car, (waiting to find out if it's totaled or not) and my hand being sore enough to make pinball painful, I decided to wait till next year. I think my VIG ticket is still good for next year, and I cancelled my hotel in time, so I didn't lose any money there. Looks like it was a super fun great time, and I'm jealous of all you that were there, but glad you all had such a great time, and the show was so great!
2023 AWARDS/TROPHIES - (Sorry I don't have the names of all the people who brought the specific games so maybe others who were there could fill in details, and I can update this post for posterity)
PEOPLE'S CHOICE (voted on by collectors at the after party)
Best EM - Lunar Shot
Best Solid State - Evil Knievel
Best DMD - Theater of Magic
Best Modern Pinball - Foo Fighters (awarded to the entire design team at Stern)
Best Single Player Vid - Air Interceptor
Best Multi Player Vid - Blast City
BEST IN SHOW
Best EM - Spanish Eyes
Best Solid State - Atlantis
Best DMD - Twilight Zone
Best Modern Pinball - Galactic Tank Force (awarded specifically to the remote control roving tank)
Best Mod - Rudy's Nightmare
Outstanding Original (meaning exceptional non-restored) - Circus Voltaire
Unique and Rare - Subhumans homebrew
Best Single Player Vid - Sound Volley
Best Multi Player Vid - Tattoo Assassin
Best Vendor Booth - Kingpin Games
Best Interactive Display - Marco (specifically the James Bond setup and "show")
Quoted from vdojaq:I own JAX Auto & Tire and always have pins on for FREE Play in the lobby for my customers.
Whaaat?!? Damn it, I just got new tires a few months ago.
Thanks everyone for all the hard work to get the show off without a hitch. I didn't think I would make it this year since I was driving back 15 hours from DC Saturday but after seeing the pictures and energy in this thread I had to suck it up and go with some friends Sunday to MGC. It's crazy to see how far this show has come in a short amount of time but still has the same great spirit from the Sheraton days.
Quoted from Hi-Fi:How did the voting work for the different categories???
The voting card I was handed at the afterparty didn’t even have 1/3 of the categories listed above?
People's Choice awards are the ones that were on the ballots, voted on by other game bringers.
Best in Show are discussed and handed out by the staff of the show.
I'm awake!
Overall, I think the show went great! I'm still doing stuff with putting it away, but I'll take it. Super excited to play some new games I picked up.
Worried that I bought a super old prewar (Grand Canyon) to restore and don't know where it went. If anyone saw it, tell me, I'm a bit concerned the building "cleaned it up" for me. Hoping it pops up when I look at all the crap we are hauling around.
Huge thanks everyone, I am excited to start getting plans for the next one together!
Another great year as always, and as always - much appreciation for those who brought games and those who worked the floor all weekend including Tully, Chris, Ken, Mike, Keith, Eric, Dave, and others I'm forgetting/ommiting only as I can't remember right now. I am sore just for attending a few days, can't believe how these guys keep it going. And load out was as smooth as butter.
And of course to Chris and Troy for bringing all of the games that they do.
Had a great time as always being part of the arcade setup crew. A few glitches, but things went pretty smoothly. Walked a total of 21.1 miles Thursday - Sun. Sore as hell today but well worth it. A few more random photos…
E58B1158-D565-4EE5-B08D-99B3E76D9B0A (resized).jpegE52A6957-C00D-426F-B0AF-C676E7D26CAC (resized).jpeg1F206D90-4C28-44DF-B292-37FFC588B8CF (resized).jpeg785A92F1-CF57-4A0D-BF24-B03BE4FFC8F0 (resized).jpeg8807A555-CB45-4DFB-9E9C-274D8EC95B05 (resized).jpegBFD7508B-52B7-423C-B830-22604B2650BF (resized).jpegBE750C84-A119-4B55-BE1D-731DCE55A258 (resized).jpeg52E7955A-6E6E-410C-8E9F-EBA9A93FB44B (resized).jpegF561E221-52E4-4ACC-AFC4-22915713DAE5 (resized).jpegC2AB1B9F-3677-431E-90EA-9A25DC4E256E (resized).jpeg743AE9AD-EDCB-4FDC-96B5-6C51CB486197 (resized).jpegEF8B8004-371B-47E2-9B73-69C7D6362949 (resized).jpegFB89455F-7C3E-46BE-9F42-B663CA33612D (resized).jpeg3FA705AE-76CB-4E97-9D2A-9426C26601C3 (resized).jpegQuoted from tullster:Walked a total of 21.1 miles Thursday - Sun. Sore as hell today but well worth it. A few more random photos…
This made me look at mine. Just over 50 miles from Thursday thru Sunday. 
Great pics Tullster!
If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
I'm 100% positive that's on camera somewhere.
Quoted from smalltownguy2:I'm 100% positive that's on camera somewhere.
Good to know. I was thinking, it would be cool if shows like this and Expo had one camera in each corner of the big rooms, up high enough that no one can disturb or block it. Just aimed near the center so that if anything majorly sketchy happens, it would be on camera somewhere. Maybe they already do. Probably wouldn't catch any small-scale shoplifting, but a banner going down should be big enough to see.
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
No freaking way! Ugg! I’m so sorry to hear this Troy. Not cool. Talk to Dan and ask him to contact the center security. I agree that this is almost certainly on camera. There have been a couple other (much more minor...no theft that I am aware of) things over the years that there was security footage of, and I think it would be pretty easy to spot something the size of a banner getting taken.
Damn this makes me mad. Wtf is with some people?
Quoted from Jediturtle:No freaking way! Ugg! I’m so sorry to hear this Troy. Not cool. Talk to Dan and ask him to contact the center security. I agree that this is almost certainly on camera. There have been a couple other (much more minor...no theft that I am aware of) things over the years that there was security footage of, and I think it would be pretty easy to spot something the size of a banner getting taken.
Damn this makes me mad. Wtf is with some people?
Its not worth Dans time, Its more the principle than the product. Just hope that if someone knows who did, oust them and make them do a shame walk
Yup, I'm sure this would be on camera. As Chris said, their camera coverage is pretty damn good. First hand knowledge. 
Not sure what their loop time is though or whether banners are worth the effort. I hope the culprit will see this and make it right.
Keith
Quoted from Jazman:Yup, I'm sure this would be on camera. As Chris said, their camera coverage is pretty damn good. First hand knowledge.
Not sure what their loop time is though or whether banners are worth the effort. I hope the culprit will see this and make it right.
Keith
It's not about whether it's worth it for the banners, it's definitely worth it to find the culprit for principle. They should be banned for life from the show. If they're cutting zip ties to steal banners they're stealing other things and will steal in the future.
So not cool!!
--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
LockWhenLit at gmail dot com
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
Didn't you have something stolen at another show not long ago? Was it Pinball Expo? Rings a bell, but I might be wrong.
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
I watch a lotta SVU so think I can help
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
Only a BITCH does shit like that.
Quoted from balt:Also, there weren't nearly enough older pins to satisfy me.
tired of hearing this or that pin wasn't at the show. did you bring a game? i didn't, had a great time regardless.
Quoted from Tilt:If anyone knows the thief that cut my zipties to steal banners, please let me know, nothing i hate more than a thief. I loved the show as always, but sucks that i keep thinking of how someone is an ass to steal from people that work so hard to bring enjoyment for others
Loved seeing all my friends again, and a thief wont stop me from doing it all again. Great meals with awesome friends. The staff is so pleasant and do everything they can to help you out. If i could change anything (besides the thief) it would be to schedule some time off before and after to recuperate, lol
Home at 2 am
in bed at 430
unload first batch of games from stern at 8, second batch at 10. Then the rest of the day meeting carriers to ship them all out same day as arrival, About time to hire someone, to bad no one in my area is into pinball
Sorry to hear that! What the heck is wrong with people hope you can get a lead somewhere
Quoted from Borygard:It's not about whether it's worth it for the banners, it's definitely worth it to find the culprit for principle. They should be banned for life from the show. If they're cutting zip ties to steal banners they're stealing other things and will steal in the future.
This is spot-on. There can be zero tolerance for thieves as they will continue stealing. Which banners were taken?
Thanks again for bringing machines to the show. It is always fun to hang out during show setup.
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Elkhorn, WI